La monaca di Monza.pdf 1421KB 11 lug 2012

49
into a convent, despite the fact that she had
not shown any vocation for this way of life.
Marianna therefore entered a convent at
the age of 13, becoming a nun with the
name of Virginia Maria. As was the custom
at the time, Martino De Leyva paid a share
of what was due to his daughter to the convent
(as a sort of dowry), but kept more
than half for himself.
During the first part of her religious experience
the young girl behaved well, receiving
praise and appreciation even when - as the
result of her father’s continual movements -
she exercised the powers of the lady of
Monza in his absence (hence her nickname
of the “Signora” or “Lady”). But her life in
the convent could not eliminate her desire
for love and for passion… Present at the
start of a relationship between Giampaolo
Osio (Manzoni’s Egidio) and one of her fellow
nuns, Isabella, she decided to tear him
away from Isabella’s heart as the result of
her envy and drive her out of the convent.
Young and from a well-off family whose
home bordered on the monastery, Osio was
given to an activity which today we would
call that of the “hired killer”. Accused of
murder he had firstly been arrested but was
then pardoned by the “Lady” who at that
period was in charge of administering justice.
That was how a relationship began
which was shortly was to be transformed
into tragedy. They loved each other intensely.
On occasions Sister Virginia Maria,
taken by remorse, threw the entrance key
Lo stemma dei De Leyva
The coat of arms of the De Leyva family
dia di strapparlo al cuore di lei scacciandola
dal convento.
Giovane di famiglia benestante la cui abitazione
confinava con il monastero, Osio era
dedito all’attività che oggi definiremmo di
“killer a pagamento”. Accusato di assassinio,
era stato prima arrestato ma poi graziato
dalla “Signora”, che in quel periodo esercitava
il potere di amministratrice della giustizia.
Iniziò così un rapporto che si sarebbe ben
presto trasformato in tragedia. Si amarono
intensamente. Talvolta suor Virginia Maria,
presa dai rimorsi, buttava nel pozzo del convento
la chiave di ingresso che lei stessa forniva
a Osio, ma lui, sapendolo, ne aveva fatto
riprodurre più di 50
copie. Dal loro amore
scaturirono un figlio
(nato però morto) e,
successivamente, una
bambina (Francesca,
riconosciuta dal
padre). Nella vicenda
erano coinvolte anche
alcune consorelle, che
avevano aiutato suor
Virginia durante le
gravidanze e i parti e
si erano rese complici
di questo illecito rap-
Monza, Via della Signora
EDLINK
3
2009
which she herself given to Osio into the
convent well, although he, aware of this,
had had more than 50 copies made. A stillborn
baby boy sprung from this love and afterwards
a baby girl (Francesca, recognised
by the father). Certain of Virginia’s fellow
nuns were also involved in the affair, sisters
who had helped her during the pregnancies
and births and who became accomplices of
this illicit relationship.
Her maternal instinct led her to go and visit
her daughter, but these visits and the
nights she spent away from the convent did
not go unobserved. The fear of blackmail,
the fright of being discovered and Osio’s violent
nature led to tragedy: the man first of
all killed a lay sister (Caterina) who had
threatened to make the relationship public,
then the blacksmith who had copied the